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Questions & Answers About the Attack
Your Guide to the Middle East
Are You Worried?
BBC News Report on Children's reactions (Real Player)
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The Worst Act of Terrorism Ever
No one could have imagined scenes as terrible as this. At a quarter to nine in the morning, a passenger jet crashed deliberately into the World Trade Centre in New York. The television cameras were already trained on the smoking tower, when another plane careered into its twin.
Then news came that, in the suburbs of Washington, a third plane had hit the Pentagon building, part of which subsequently collapsed. Another plane crashed near Pittsburgh. By the time first one, and then the other of the two stricken towers of the World Trade Center collapsed onto the frantic rescue workers below, people could be seen jumping to certain death to escape the horror. Manhattan was a cloud of ash, dust, and debris, and America was in trauma.
All the evidence suggests this was a carefully planned operation designed to attack some of the most famous targets in America.
Early casualty figures suggest 1500 people who were in the World Trade Centre at the time were treated in a makeshift field hospital set up in a nearby park.
A further 600 were taken to hospitals around New York.
American Airlines, which lost two planes in the attacks, said a total of 156 people were aboard both aircraft.
In Washington, 53 people were reported injured after an attack on the Pentagon.
The final death toll is expected to be in the thousands.
In the towers alone, 400 firms from 25 countries employed around 50,000 people.
Television pictures are beyond comprehension.
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"I have a sense it's a horrendous number of lives lost" - New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani
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Our Response
Every member of the School community was shocked and deeply saddened by this tragedy. On Friday 14th September we joined the rest of Europe in the three minutes silence, when we were asked to think about the events of the week, and reflect on those killed and their loved ones.
In their RE lessons students were asked for their thoughts and feelings. Below is a selection:
"This attack was totally inexplicable and purely stupid. As for the people that planned it, they should be brought to justice as soon as possible." - Hayden Sant 10R4
"I think it's really unfair because America doesn't deserve this and it's going to change the world forever." - Constance Gibbs 7GS
"What was the point of killing innocent people?" - Antony Casserta 7GS
"I hope President Bush thinks carefully before he does something he can't undo." - Ben Clements 7GS
"Who would do such a thing? Is this an act of war?" - Eddie Francis 11G4
"I couldn't believe it - It looked like a movie." - Chantelle Cockerill 11G4
"My mum's best mate's dad is missing in New York and we don't have a clue what to do. How can anyone do this?" - Chelsea-Marie King 10R4
"The thing I don't get is, if they wanted to die then why didn't they do something else which involves just them?" - Clare Turner 10R4
"My heart goes out to the families and the people in hospital" - Katrina Northwood 10R4
"I was devastated when I saw what happened. I am sorry to all those who have lost their relatives. I hope nothing else happens." - Hannah Williams 7GS
"I think we are going to go to war with the Palestinians. It is totally disgusting to cheer the deaths of thousands of innocent people." - George 11G4
"I can't imagine how the people on the aeroplanes felt, knowing they were going to die." - Angela 7GS
"What I saw made me feel like I had no stomach." - Teri-Jayne Powell 7G5
"Why did people do this to other people?" - Danny Hall 7G5
If you would like your comments posted here, either speak to your RE teacher, or leave a message on the Visitors' Book Page.
(Note:
this page first appeared on 12th September 2001)
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